The explosion of energy from their clash created a massive crater. Both sides remained standing after the blast, staring intently at each other.
"Haargrhrhhhhh!" roared Linggis as he charged at the woman.
"Haargrhrhhhh!" the woman screamed back, rushing toward Linggis.
They began clashing swords and cane once again. The battle on the barren plains grew more intense as the sound of weapons striking each other echoed, shattering the silence.
"Ting! Ting! Ting!"
Linggis's cane collided relentlessly with the woman's sword. Each of her strikes was full of strength and determination, but Linggis blocked them with ease, his pupils darting rapidly as he analyzed her attacks. His expression was cold, yet there was a glint of madness in his eyes, like a predator savoring every moment of cornering its prey.
"Fight harder," Linggis mocked, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Otherwise, I might start yawning."
The woman gritted her teeth and unleashed a powerful horizontal slash. But once again, Linggis's staff parried it with a resounding clang.
"Clang! Ting! Crash!"
Her steps began to falter as she leaped back, panting heavily. She turned toward someone shouting, and a young man emerged from a portal. His hair was messy, and he looked as if he had wandered in by mistake, but his eyes radiated a naive courage.
"Don't worry, I'm here to help!" the young man shouted loudly, raising a small spear.
Linggis turned slowly, his gaze a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Oh? What's this? A lost lamb wandering into a pack of wolves?" he said with a soft chuckle.
The woman immediately shouted, "Don't come any closer! He's too dangerous!"
But the young man ignored her, stepping boldly into the battlefield. He tried to attack Linggis from behind with his spear, but Linggis didn't even bother to turn. With a single swing of his cane, he struck the spear, sending the young man flying several meters back.
"Crash! Clang!"
Linggis chuckled, watching the young man struggle to crawl back up. "How daring of you to interfere. But... you might actually prove useful," he said, his tone dripping with cunning.
Deliberately, he lunged toward the young man, delivering a light punch with his left hand. This sent the woman into a panic.
"Don't touch him!" she screamed, charging at Linggis with all her might.
But Linggis had already anticipated her move. With swift precision, he deflected her attack and spun his cane, creating a wave of energy that knocked the woman back.
"Boom! Ting! Crash!"
The woman fell to her knees but managed to stand, her body battered and bruised. Meanwhile, the young man tried to get up, but a single sharp glare from Linggis froze him in place. Fear overwhelmed him as he slowly turned his gaze toward the woman.
"You think I don't know what you're trying to do? Your move is predictable—people like you are everywhere in anime series," Linggis said in a low, piercing voice. "Saving your weak ally who naively tried to help, is this what they call a foolish hero? Her rationality completely defeated by her sense of heroism. Unfortunately, that's a mistake you'll regret."
The woman gritted her teeth, her eyes burning with determination. "I won't let you touch him!"
Linggis simply laughed. "Go ahead, try."
The battle reignited with intensity. The woman attacked in fury, while Linggis remained calm, exploiting every opening to push her further into a corner. Yet amidst the chaos, the young man began to move, desperately searching for a way to help... even if it meant risking his life.